The day book. (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917, January 02, 1917, LAST EDITION, Image 3

Image and text provided by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL

COMPETITION IN BUYING OF CATTLEMETHODS ARE EXPOSED BY RUDDYI'The little fellows don't know-it's the matter with the meakin-jstrv of the country," said Tomfcuddy, veteran Texas cattle raisernd independent packing millionaire.They can't realize how the packershave the market tied up."During the convention in Chicagorecently, when most of the big raisers of cattle discussed the conditipnof the market that is driving hundreds of raisers out of business everyyear, a German farmer and growerTosejUp and addressed the assemblyof cattlemen" 'My name is Wm. Depres of In-'dian Springs, DL Lwant to tell whatthe stockyards gang did to me. WhenMr. Armour donated the money tothe Republican state committee hedonated $800 of my hard-earnedcash." 'I shipped everything I had onhoofs into the Chicago market whenthe quarantine was on last summer.The -market could not help but begood because there hadn't been. much cattle sent' in for three weeks.V " 'When I did get in my cattle werefirst in the pens. Do you think I got' a high, price? Why the stockyardsgang knew that I couldn't ship outagain hecause of the quarantine, sothey cut prices until I lost $800. 1 hadto sell my steers for $800 less thanit costvme to raise them.'"This farmer was dumfounded. Heknew that something was wrongwith the way things were run in thestockyards, but he didn't know what."The big raisers of cattle are wise.They don't sell a single steer to theyards gang, but they do sell to smaller growers, who take the animalsand fatten them. When the little fellow gets run out of business by themethods of Mr. Armour or otherStockyards packers it hurts thetrade of the big fellows. So they' organized, formed plans for the BorTaad resolution calling for, su federalinvestigation of the packers, startedam independent plant in Kansas Cityand called the convention in Chicago. They are roused."Every year hundreds of raisershave been run out of business because when they took their cattle tomarket they could not get a pricethat would pay for the raising."The cattle raisers are against thepackers owning stockyards. Thatgives them complete control of thesituation. Imagine yourself selling..You have to trust your cattle withthe stockyards bunch while awaiting a chance to sell. You have tojump in at the best moment. Meanwhile you pay fancy rent for the useof the pens. The longer you leavsyour cattle waiting for good pricesthe more you have to pay out in rentand this comes out of your profits."If your cattle are held -over nightthe packers call them stale cattleand take off 25 cents a head. .Whenyou have a drive of 10,000 thisamounts to $2,500."Then you have to pay for feedand care. When you finally step upand sell you may npt even get backwhat it cost you to raise the cattle."The grading of the cattle is alldone by the packing men. - Stockgrowers say they don't get a squaredeal on this. The weighing of theanimals is also up to the packinghouse buyers. You have to take theirword for it"Meat prices are kept down in thestockyards in this manner. Themarket opens steady., That meansthe price -for steers Is the same asy'itwas when the market closed thenight before."Then perhaps Armour & Co. -willoffer 2-5 of a cent off the steadyprice. Buyers hold off, but a few sellat this figure. Along comes Swift &Co. offering to buy at 3-5ths off; thenCudahy may offer to buy at a centoff,. 'jao the tjattlemen. are forceJL io!&' f